Cultural Intelligence: Living and Working Globally / Edition 2

by David C. Thomas, Kerr Inkson

Overview

Succeed in Any Culture, in Every Situation

In today’s global economy, the ability to interact effectively across cultures is a fundamental job requirement for just about everyone. But it’s impossible to learn the customs and traits of every single culture. David Thomas and Kerr Inkson present a universal set of techniques and people skills that will allow you to adapt quickly to, and thrive in, any cultural environment. You’ll learn to discard your own culturally based assumptions and pay careful attention, in a mindful and creative way, to cues in cross-cultural situations. The authors show how to apply cultural intelligence in a series of specific situations: making decisions; communicating, negotiating, and resolving conflicts; leading and motivating others; and designing, managing, and contributing to multicultural groups and teams.

This extensively revised third edition has been updated with new stories showing cultural intelligence in action. Thomas and Inkson have broadened the focus beyond business to include organizations of all kinds—nonprofits, governments, educational institutions, and more. And they include a reliable and valid measure of cultural intelligence based on a decade of research by an international team of scholars.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781576756256
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication date:	08/01/2009
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

David C. Thomas is the Beedie Professor of International Management at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada.

Kerr Inkson is an emeritus professor and research advisor at the University of Auckland Business School in New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xiii

1 Living and Working in the Global Village 1

2 Cultural Knowledge 20

3 Mindfulness and Cross-Cultural Skills 43

4 Making Decisions across Cultures 63

5 Communicating, Negotiating, and Resolving Conflicts across Cultures 84

6 Motivating and Leading across Cultures 107

7 Working with Multicultural Groups and Teams 129

8 Developing Cultural Intelligence in a Global World 151

Conclusion: The Essentials of Cultural Intelligence 174

Appendix 1 Twenty Statements Test 179

Appendix 2 Where to Get Country Information 183

Notes 189

Bibliography 203

Index 213

About the Authors 221

Editorial Reviews

Coaches all of us on how to live and work more effectively in a world economy that no longer recognizes nor understands borders.”
—Nancy J. Adler, S. Bronfman Chair in Management, McGill University

“Peppered throughout with fascinating stories and anecdotes, this book is as entertaining as it is instructive.”
—David Ryback, Business to Business magazine

“Highly recommended reading for business people and as a supplemental reading in courses on international business.”
—Library Journal

From the Publisher